


Just Say the Word

by YesIsAWorld



Category: Harry Styles (Musician), Louis Tomlinson (Musician), One Direction (Band)
Genre: 5 Times, Bisexual Louis, Coming Out, Drunken Confessions, F/F, Girl Direction, Girls Kissing, Mentioned past Zarry, Pining, Single Location
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-05 17:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16372037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YesIsAWorld/pseuds/YesIsAWorld
Summary: Five times Harry watches Lou from across the bar and one time she actually makes a move.





	Just Say the Word

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kikikryslee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikikryslee/gifts).



> Thank you to [Eli](http://gaycousinlarry.tumblr.com/) for holding my hand through this whole process, both by helping me plot out the different scenes and then believing that I could actually write a girl direction and being my personal cheerleader when I was pretty sure I was going to have to drop out. And thanks to [gettingaphdinmomo](http://gettingaphdinmomo.tumblr.com/) and [myownsparknow](http://myownsparknow.tumblr.com/) for the terrific beta, even while you were working on your own fics and deadlines! You always make my fics a million times better and I don’t know what I’d do without you!  
> And thanks to [Lauren](http://fullonlarrie.tumblr.com/) for putting together this fest! I know that I’ve told you privately about a million times how excited I was for this fest, and it didn’t disappoint. There are _so many_ good fics in this fest.
> 
> My prompt was: It’s Girl A’s first time at a gay bar, and Girl B is the cool bartender who thinks Girl A is really adorable.

I

Harry Styles can’t stop staring. Which is a major problem because she’s supposed to be working, and the bar’s ridiculously crowded for a Tuesday night. 

Over the unnecessarily loud jukebox, and everyone competing to see who can talk the loudest, Harry registers that someone is calling her name. 

“Fuck! Harry!” Nik, Harry’s BFF, coworker, and all-around partner in crime, shouts from the other end of the back bar. She’s standing in front of a pulled down tap handle and covered in beer foam that sprayed from the tap. “Stop staring at her and go replace the Narragansett.”

Harry can't help but laugh, even though Nik looks ready to kill.

Harry glances back at Lou—praying to every deity she had learned about in that religious studies class that Lou hasn’t heard Nik. Lou’s already looking her way, and she gives Harry a brief smile. Harry tells herself that between the crowd and distance it’s near impossible for Lou to hear their conversation. She turns back to see Nik’s exaggerated eye roll.

Nik refuses to swap the kegs because “despite feminism there are still some things that dudes should do.” Harry agrees on principle, but there are no guys working at The Grapevine on Lesbian Night. On those nights, Harry normally proposes, and then loses, a best-of-three Rocks, Paper, Scissors game before she’ll sigh her most-put-upon-sigh, and go downstairs. 

But tonight she’s been both antsy and spacey and definitely hasn’t been pulling her weight, so she just salutes Nik. “On it, Grimshaw!” Harry pats Nik on the shoulder as she sneaks past on her way to the back stairs. “Cover me, yeah?” Harry asks. 

Nik cackles. “Like you’ve done anything tonight besides ogle her.”

Harry makes an embarrassing sound like dying whale. “I just don’t understand why she’s here,” she hisses. “She’s never comes here.” Her friends _know_ what Lou does to her and she can’t believe they’d bring her here.

Harry takes her sweet time switching out the kegs. The cool air of the basement and the the lack of Lou’s gorgeous, perfect face should give Harry’s body a break. She fans her vintage, ripped Rolling Stones t-shirt out a few times, billowing cold air against her clammy skin. Of course, on the one day Lou shows up at Harry’s work, Harry’s wearing her oldest, most ripped shirt. She’s not even wearing a bra! Harry curses her luck, and, well, her laziness at putting her laundry off one more day. 

After she changes the keg, she sticks her head back in the cooler and takes a few deep breaths. _Lou’s straight,_ Harry reminds herself. Harry knows it’s creepy the way she stares at her from across the room at parties. She’d love to stop preying on one of the few straight girls that her friends are friends with. But. Then she sees Lou’s bright blue eyes and perfect bone structure and it’s like she falls into a pit of muteness and all she can do is look.

It’s not like Lou’s a siren. Harry can and will do better. She’ll stop being a creep when she walks back upstairs. She’ll get to work and pretend like Lou’s not even there.

There. 

Giving herself a stern talking to should do the trick. 

Except.

The moment she’s back behind the bar, she accidentally catches Lou’s eye. Again.

It’s gotta be some kind of record, the amount of times Harry embarrasses herself in front of Lou.

Harry walks the length of the bar and throws her arms around Nik’s waist. 

“Niiiiiiik,” she whines. “How am I supposed to function when she’s here?”

Nik shifts and looks in Lou’s direction. 

“Don’t look at her!” Harry hisses. 

“She’s not even looking this way,” Nik says with a dismissive wave of her hand. “And maybe stop draping yourself over me in front of your crush. She’ll get the wrong idea.”

Harry drops her arms immediately. “No way.”

“Thanks.”

“You know what I mean.” Harry’s pretty sure she does. “I do love—”

“Get over to your side of the bar or I’m taking all the tips tonight.”

“Fine.” Harry sulks back to her spot and pastes on a smile to help the next woman leaning forward trying to get her attention.

She actually manages to make a few drinks without seeking out Lou, which bites her on the ass when she looks up to serve the next person. As she wipes her forearm across her sweaty brow, Lou is standing right in front of her.

 _She’s straight!_ Harry’s brain unhelpfully shouts for the fourteenth time that night. 

“Hey,” Lou says. Her eyes are just _so_ blue. Harry looks away quickly, pulling her eyes down and focusing on Lou’s tiny wrists, strong hands, and perfectly manicured short fingernails instead. Nope. Not any better than looking at her gorgeous eyelashes.

Harry takes a fortifying breath. She can totally do this. Actually talking to Lou is different than creepily staring the room at her, but she’s totally got this.

“Hey.” _Smooth._ She didn’t even stutter or anything.

The corners of Lou’s mouth turn up in the tiniest of smiles and Harry’s knees turn to jelly as her stomach does some complicated flips.

“Can I get two Jack and Cokes, and an Absolute Raspberry and Diet Coke?” 

Harry watches, entranced, as Lou flicks her bangs out of her eyes. 

“Coming right up!” Harry mentally berates herself as she makes the drinks. She sounded like such a preppy dork. _Coming right up!!!_

At the very least, Harry’s gathering bits of knowledge about Lou like a squirrel hoarding nuts. Harry memorized Zayn and Li’s drinks ages ago, so the Absolute Raspberry and Diet Coke has to be for Lou.

With all the drinks in front of her, Lou pauses before she heads back to the table.

“You need anything else?” Harry asks, awkwardly. 

“Oh, no,” Lou says with a tight smile. “Just, thanks. For, you know.”

“Yeah, of course.” Harry shrugs. “It’s my job.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I’ll let you get back to it.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

More information gathered: Lou’s an excellent tipper.

That bit of knowledge only helps cement Harry’s teeny tiny crush that she’s one hundred percent not going to act on. Because Lou is _straight._

Lou struggles to balance the drinks in her hands, then Harry watches as she walks back to their shared group of friends. More accurately, she watches Lou’s ass, but _really_ that’s neither here nor there. 

Nik’s arm wraps around Harry’s waist as she dips in close to Harry’s ear. “I’m dying from second hand embarrassment. That was ak- _ward_!”

Harry glances over to see Lou quickly looking away from her. See. Harry always knew it’d be better to avoid talking to Lou at all costs, because she was definitely going to fuck it up. Even when she wasn't actually saying anything important.

Harry pushes Nik off her body and Lou out of her mind as she gets back to work pouring drinks. 

She doesn’t do a terrific job; she still looks over whenever she can to sneak a glimpse of Lou.

More than once Li or Zayn catch Harry’s eye, and Harry shakes her head before she looks away. The two of them work with Lou, and the first time they invited her to one of their parties, they gave Harry a heads up. “She’s your type,” they said. “You’re going to love her,” they said. “We can’t wait for you two to get married and have a trillion babies,” they said. Harry was still hung up on the recently-ended friends with benefits thing she had with Zayn at that point and didn’t believe them. 

And then Lou arrived—with her boyfriend’s arm slung around her shoulders. Harry’s devastation over Zayn fell away with one look at Lou. Unfortunately, every time after that first party, Lou had a new man by her side. Li was always there with a well-timed cigarette and a sympathetic ear. It was the least she could do after getting Harry’s hopes up for nothing.

Harry tries not to blame them, because she knows how apologetic Li and Zayn are about the whole thing.

Harry’s heart sinks when the trio get up to leave, just like it does every time she says goodbye to Lou. At least there’s the still-packed bar to keep her distracted until the night’s over.

Her friends all wave and say a quick _bye_ as they walk past. Lou pauses her stride, jams her hands in her pockets and says, “Bye, Harry. See you around?”

It sounds hopeful. Harry’s heart pounds as she replies, “Yeah.”

Nik snorts loudly from behind Harry’s shoulder, and as the small smile drops off Lou’s face and she turns to leave, Harry drops her foot back with perfect timing to trip Nik as she walks by. 

“Oh Haz,” Nik says later that night as they’re serving up last rounds. “You’ve got it bad.”

“I know,” Harry wails. “And I don’t stand a chance.”

Nik opens her arms and Harry walks into the embrace. If she can’t get a snuggle with Lou, then she’ll take a pity hug from Nik.

II

About a week later, Harry’s getting the bar set up, setting out the freshly cut limes and checking that there’s enough cold beer in the mini fridges before unlocking the door. There’s a rattling, like someone trying to open it. Harry glances down at her phone; three minutes til open. It’s close enough. She walks over, unlocks the door, and swings it open only to find Lou on the other side, her cheeks flushed pink. 

“Hi,” Harry says, surprised. 

“Sorry… I can come back later.” She clears her throat. “When you’re open.”

“Nah.” Harry holds the door open and ushers her in. Lou’s in dark jeans, with a red flannel over a plain white t-shirt. It’s so annoying how she looks good in literally everything she wears. “Just have a seat, I’ll be with you in one moment…” Side by side they walk over to the bar, and Lou sits on one of the few stools as Harry walks behind the bar. 

Harry dunks her hands into the soapy water filling the sink. She pulls out the ice scoops, rinses them, and sets them aside to dry. 

“Sorry again, for—” Lou says. 

“I just have a few more things I need to…”

“It’s okay. Really. I’m the dick who’s here too early. Take your time.”

Harry finishes up her prep work surrounded by the too-quiet atmosphere, while Lou stares at her phone. The last thing she needs to do is write the drink specials on the black dry erase boards. Normally she takes her time, doodling embellishments until people start to trickle in. She writes them quickly, but still neatly, this time, adding a few small curlicues as she avoids looking up. When there’s nothing else to do with her hands, Harry finally faces Lou. 

“What can I get you?” she asks. Lou looks like the question has caught her off guard, and she fumbles and drops her phone, so Harry keeps talking, “It’s on the house, since, like, I wasn’t ready, when you—”

“Oh! No, you don’t—”

“Lou, it’s cool.” Harry waves her hand around and hopes Lou gets the message of _No one else is here. Also my boss won’t care. Like, at all. Let me do this for you. Tell me what you like. It’ll be the best you’ve ever had. Also, I love you._

“Okay, if you’re sure… I’ll take a…” Her eyes flick from the premade speciality slushy drinks to the beer menu and back again.

Harry motions toward the slushies with her head. “The prickly pear is my favorite.”

“Yeah?”

Harry nods. “Could give you a taste?”

A blush spreads across Lou’s cheeks. “Sure. Yeah. Okay.”

Harry pours more than what would strictly be called a taste into a rocks glass and hands it over. Their fingers touch and an electric bolt runs down Harry’s spine, settling as a ball of neon nerves in the pit of her stomach. Lou licks her lips before bringing the glass up for a sip. She tips her head back, and Harry can’t draw her eyes away from the line of her throat; she's jealous of the glass, of the icy concoction coating Lou’s mouth. 

“Mmmm.” Lou’s eyes light up. “It’s not cloyingly sweet.”

“Yeah? You like?” Harry refuses to come on too strong, to show exactly how happy she is that Lou took her up on her suggestion and then also liked it, so she swallows a smile and neatens up a straight row of clean glasses. 

“Yeah, I’ll take one of those. And, uh, tequila and rocks, on the side?”

Lou’s twisting her fingers together and Harry can’t think of anything other than gently stopping Lou’s nervous tick by placing her own hand on top of hers. She wants to slide their hands together, and clasp Lou’s tight between her fingers.

“Sure, coming right up.” 

Lou looks like she’s going to say something, so Harry waits a beat, and when Lou closes her mouth with a soft sigh, she takes a step back. 

“We’ve got a jukebox,” Harry says. “If there’s something you want to listen to.”

There’s a moment where Harry’s sure Lou didn’t hear her, but then she’s up and flipping through the choices. When Harry’s done filling the glasses, she takes a moment to drink Lou in. She’s compact but curvy. Powerful—Harry’s pretty sure Lou’d win if they were sparring—and thoughtful; Harry’s favorite combination. Her hair’s on the top of her head in a complicated-looking top knot. Harry runs her fingers through her own wavy (and in desperate need of a trim) hair and before she second guesses herself, she meets Lou at the jukebox with her drinks. 

Harry leans against the wall next to where Lou is flipping through the music choices. 

Lou pops her hip towards Harry and cocks her head. “How do you feel about Beastie Boys?”

“Love them. Classic.”

Lou smiles, nods, and looks back down at the choices. “Bowie?”

“I reserve the right to kick anyone who doesn’t like Bowie out of the bar.”

“Blondie?”

Harry pulls back in mock outrage. “Is that even a serious question?”

Lou reaches out, and places her hand on Harry’s arm, squeezing gently. “Just making sure.”

When the door opens and small group of guys walks in, Lou drops her hand.

“I should…” Harry points in the direction of the bar.

“Yeah, of course,” Lou says.

Harry gets the group their drinks while keeping an eye on Lou, who’s still flipping through her choices. 

The opening notes of Fine Young Cannibals’ “She Drives Me Crazy” blare from the speakers and Harry all but snaps her neck to look at up Lou. Lou is walking over to a high-top table, her straw tucked between her lips, and her face blushed pink.

Harry doesn’t generally read too much into things, or she tries not to, but the song feels pointed in a way Harry can’t shake, especially when the song ends and Lou finishes her drink and catches Harry’s eye and gives a wave as she walks out. 

It feels ridiculous to think that Lou might have been flirting with her, but Harry can’t come up with any other explanation. 

III

It turns out that Harry can’t deny Lou anything. Not that there’s much Lou has ever asked for, except for a frankly obscene amount of drinks tonight. 

She arrived again, with Zayn and Li, and between the three of them, there’s been a lot of elbowing and looking over to Harry. Harry’s done a commendable job of not obsessing over whether or not they’re talking about her. 

When Lou comes back to the bar, eyes glassy and glass empty, Harry’s prepared to call over one of their friends and suggest they take her home. But Lou places the glass down, blinks at Harry with her ridiculous eyelashes, then says, “Water, please. I have something important to say.”

“Okay,” Harry says, and switches out Lou’s empty with a pint of water.

“It’s a secret,” Lou says, then stops to gulp down some water. She hiccups, and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She plants her elbow on the bar top and beckons Harry closer with a crook of her finger. Putting that same finger to her lips, she says, “Shhh.” Her hand drops and she pauses before opening her mouth again to say, “I think girls are really pretty.”

“Oh.” As a bartender, Harry’s privy to a lot of secrets, but none have thrown her for a loop like this one. Despite being at a gay bar, and confessing to a lesbian, Lou looks nervous. She’s playing with her glass, using the bottom edge to spin it in a wobby circle. Her eyes are fixed past Harry, so Harry reaches out and places her hand on top of Lou’s, stopping her fidgeting. “Is this a new secret?”

Lou nods. “You’re like, the,” she looks back to their friends’ table, where Zayn’s watching them closely, “third, yes, one, two, three, third, person I’ve told.” After another big gulp she says, “I have another secret too.”

Lou leans across the bar, her eyes still glossy.

Harry tries to stop her. “Are you sure that you—”

“You should stop hooking up with Nik.”

“Oh.” Despite having all of her faculties together, Harry’s finding it hard to string some words together. “What?”

“I’m nice. I’m sure Nik’s nice. But I’m nice too.”

“You are, nice. Why? Um, I’m not… Nik and I… we’re not… Who told you that?”

Lou backs off the bar and stumbles once her feet hit the ground. Li's against her in a moment, an arm wrapped around her waist.

Harry feels so out of her depth. She’s overjoyed that Lou is, actually, into girls, and heartbroken that she either felt like she had to be wasted to tell Harry or else was too wasted and didn’t mean to tell Harry at all. Neither option is great. 

“I’m going to…” Li motions toward the door. 

“Thanks, Li. See you tomorrow?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Lou asks. 

“The Penguins game. We’re going to have it on out in the back.”

“Oh. Okay.” Lou’s face falls. “I like hockey too.” 

“You’re welcome to join, if you’re feeling okay,” Harry offers. “But get home safe, okay?”

“Li’s my knight in shining armor. Oh, shit. Is there like, a girl term for a knight?” Lou’s face crinkles in confusion. “Whatever. Li, will you cuddle me? You’re a good pretend Harry.”

“Okay!” Li says loudly. “Let’s get you home.”

“Bye, Harry,” Lou calls back as Li corrals her out of the bar. Zayn trails behind them.

Harry watches the all go, then collapses in a dramatic heap on the floor. “Oh my god,” she wails.

“Get up. That’s disgusting,” Nik says, kicking her gently in the hip. “And people are staring.”

“Not that gross,” Harry grumbles as she stands up. “I mopped today.”

“Still gross.” Nik pops the caps off of two bottles of beer. “What was that about?” she asks as she walks away to give them to whoever ordered them. Harry follows.

“Lou’s into girls. And thinks I’m cuddly. And she thought we,” Harry points at Nik and herself, “were hooking up.”

“Oh oh oh! Get it!” Nik says.

“And, she was fucking wasted.”

“And? Why is that a problem?”

“What if she didn’t mean to tell me?”

“Holy shit, Styles,” Nik rolls her eyes and then her shoulders. “You going to keep making excuses or are you going to make a move for once in your life?”

“I don’t know, Nik.” Harry shakes her head. “I’m going to have to wait and see.”

IV

It’s the middle of the second period when Lou finally shows up. The back, outside area of the bar is still sparsely attended, with only one other table of people watching the game. Everyone says their hellos, and Lou takes a seat across from Harry and then immediately tilts her head toward the mounted television.

Li gives Harry a wide-open look with her eyes as if to prompt Harry to say something, but Harry doesn’t know where to start. 

She settles on “Hi.”

Lou looks over, startled. “Hi.” She opens her mouth, then closes it again, and looks back to the television. After Malkin skates down ice on a breakaway, and is shut out by the goalie, Lou turns back to Harry and mouths _sorry_.

Harry doesn’t have any idea what she has to be sorry for. 

_For what?_ Harry mouths back. She nods her head in the direction of the back corner and shrugs. 

Lou nods and stands. 

“What are you sorry for?” Harry asks when they’re away from the prying ears of their friends. 

“Last night.” Lou inhales a big breath and Harry tries to keep her eyes away from Lou’s chest as it expands. “I don’t… I don’t remember, much, actually. But I vaguely remember leaning over the bar and talking to you, so I just hope that I wasn’t too obnoxious.”

“No, you weren’t… you don’t—you don’t remember what we talked about?” In the dark recesses of Harry’s brain she hoped maybe Lou would show up, reiterate what she said the night before and ask Harry to be hers forever. Or at least ask her out. 

Still, Harry keeps hearing Lou's words. She wanted to cuddle Harry… and that… that fuels her hope for the future.

“I really don’t. And they were no help at all.” Lou flaps her hand in the direction of their friends. Li and Zayn are both looking their way, and they snap their heads back to the game when Harry looks over. 

“You didn’t say anything bad, or like, embarrassing,” Harry says. “At least, I didn’t think it was? I guess it depends on like, if you meant to…”

“I came out to you, didn’t I?” Lou says in a rush. 

“Sort of? You said girls were pretty…”

“I was… shit. I was planning on it, you know. And like, I _knew_ no one would care, because like, you’re all lesbians, but it’s still like… I think being bi is a little different and I was worried that it wouldn’t seem, _real_ or whatever.”

“So you’re…”

“Bi. Officially." She idly kicked at the gravel. "It took me a while to like… figure it out, I guess.”

“That’s… I’m glad, that you’re, if you’re happy, that you like—”

“I am. Happy, I mean. And they were great, of course. But I think I worked it up so much in my mind that I drank too much. I mean, obviously. So, yeah, sorry for being sloppy, or whatever.”

Harry waves her worry away. “Work hazard.”

“Right.” 

Lou looks like she’s going to say something else, so Harry waits, but when she just repeats ‘Right’, Harry says, “You did, uh, mention that you though Nik and I were, uh, together in some way.” A part of Harry hopes that clearing this up will allow Lou to make a move, if that’s something she wants.

Lou groans. “No, I didn’t. Harry I’m so—”

“We’re not, just so you, like, know. Not that it matters, but like, just, to clear that up.”

“Okay.” Lou’s face falls for a fraction of a second, before she straightens her shoulders and puts on a smile. “I suppose it’s none of my business, either way.”

Harry wants to cry that it high key could be Lou’s business, if that was something she wanted, but Lou’s already turning away. “Wait,” Harry calls after her. She’s got to say something. But when Lou turns again, Harry comes up blank. “Can I get you a drink?” She could punch herself; that’s probably the last thing Lou wants after the night she had. Harry laughs awkwardly. “Hair of the dog?” 

“No, that’s…” Lou runs her fingers through her hair. “Actually, I’ll take a Coke, if you’re…”

“Yeah, cool. Not a problem. Go, sit. Um, I’ll get it and bring it over.”

“Really? You sure?”

“Yes, yes. Happy to—yes.”

Lou ducks her head. “Okay, cool.” Harry watches as she winds her way through the empty tables and sits back down next to Zayn.

Unfortunately, Nik’s working the back bar, and judging by the way she’s looking at Harry she overheard the whole thing.

“Put the poor girl out of her misery,” Nik says as Harry walks around to the back.

Harry picks up two glasses and the soda gun before she answers. “What do you mean?”

“She’s got it just as bad for you as you do for her.”

Harry dismisses that thought with a _pfft._ “Nik, she literally _just_ came out.” Harry looks over and Lou’s got her head on Zayn’s shoulder.

“And…?”

“And!” Harry’s not ready for her heart to be crushed again. “The last thing she probably needs is her creepy bartender making a pass the moment she’s available.”

“You’re not creepy, for like the millionth time. You two have the same friend group, she’s into you, you’ve yet to make her feel uncomfortable about your raging crush.”

“How do you know?”

“Have you seen her? The way she is around you? It’s the same moon-eyed look you give her.”

“I don’t—”

“You do.”

“Well, she’s going to have to make the first move.”

Nik groans. “Whatever. I’m done. If you’re not going to do anything about it, then you don’t get to talk about her anymore.”

Harry shrugs. She can do that. “Okay. Whatever, like that’ll be hard.”

Nik shakes her head as Harry moves to deliver Lou’s drink. 

V

“Nik, this is the worst.” Harry complains. “Put me out my misery.”

“I don’t know what you tell you,” she says. “I told you to make a move. Can’t blame a girl if she’s moving on.”

“I know. But Zayn? Why’s it gotta be Zayn?”

Harry turns back to where Lou is sitting ridiculously close to Zayn. They’re flirting: Zayn keeps fixing Lou’s hair and Lou has her legs crossed toward Zayn and they keep _laughing._ Which, alright. But there’s enough touching and giggling that Harry has a zing of jealousy every time she so much as glances in that direction. 

And maybe it’s even better this way. Lou will find out all about how awful Zayn is as a girlfriend, and then when they’ve run their course as a couple, which shouldn’t be too long, if Harry’s own history with Zayn is any indication, maybe Harry will have worked up enough bravery to do something. 

It’s a night of torture.

And then, when Zayn finally moves away, putting more than a hair’s width between her and Lou, Lou looks over her shoulder, directly at Harry, and _smirks._

If Harry didn’t love her so much, it was possible she’d hate her. Harry tries to put a smile on, and isn’t sure if she succeeds or not. It feels a little wobbly, like she’s going to give in to a frustrated cry. 

When Lou finally gets up to leave, she walks right up to Harry and says, “See you soon,” like it’s a promise. 

Harry has a million questions for Zayn, but those will all have to wait, as she leaves a few minutes after Lou, saying goodbye with a wave of her fingers and a roll of her eyes. 

VI

It’s the first night off in a week and a half for Harry and yet she still finds herself back at The Grapevine. She knows that Lou is likely going to show up, and there was a possibility that Zayn's going to show up too, since they’ve been attached at the hip for the past month. And there’s nothing Harry loves more than torturing herself.

She’s only there for fifteen minutes, tops, before Lou and Zayn show up, together, of course. After waving hello and getting their drinks, they sit down with the Harry and Li. 

This time it’s harder to decide what’s going on between Lou and Zayn. There’s been undeniable flirting the past few times she’s seen them, but now it seems like they’re just friends. Maybe close friends. But they’re keeping their hands to themselves and aren’t sitting practically in each other’s laps, and for the briefest of moments Harry feels her whole body go hot when she thinks she catches Lou looking at her boobs. But Lou meets her eye a moment later and Harry can’t decipher the look she gives her.

After her second beer, Harry gets up to go to the bathroom. She gives herself a pep talk as she pees, that she’ll be cool, that she won’t stare, that she’ll be able to shake this crush and be freaking _normal_ around Lou. She was able to do that with Zayn, she can do it with Lou too.

But then she opens the stall door, and Lou’s standing there, a small, nervous smile playing on her lips. 

“Hey,” Harry says, because despite multiple opportunities she’s unable to present a cool facade in front of Lou. As Harry washes her hands, she watches Lou watch her in the mirror. 

“I hope it’s okay that I…” Lou says, before faltering. Harry turns, wiping her hands on her jeans, and Lou tracks the movement, before trying again. “I, uh, just wanted to let you know that I really like your shirt.”

“Yeah?” It’s just another old button up; with vertical black and white stripes. Harry really, _really_ did not want to look like she was trying. But as she glances down, her cheeks heat up as she realizes that she could probably have buttoned up one more button so she wasn’t exposing her cleavage to everyone. “I mean, I like yours too.”

Lou’s in what looks like a vintage raglan shirt with Bruce Springsteen’s face in the middle. But maybe it is just meant to _look_ retro. Either way, it shows off the dip of her waist and the flare of her hips and the points of her shoulders and Harry wants to touch her everywhere.

“I didn’t know you were coming out tonight,” Lou says. 

“Oh.” It feels like a slap against her face, even though it’s not exactly rude. She doesn’t have to be there, not if she makes Lou uncomfortable. “I could… leave—”

“No!” Lou looks startled. “Fuck. That’s not at all what I... I’m happy, really happy, that you’re here. But I probably would’ve worn something… better… if I had known.”

The explanation is a soothing balm. “Oh.”

“Sorry.” Lou turns to leave. “I’m so awkward. I don’t know how to do this.”

“Do what?” Harry hopes, once Lou pauses with her hand on the door handle. 

“Zayn said that flirting with girls is the same as flirting with boys. But it’s not.” Lou sighs. “All that practice was useless. You’re too pretty and I get all… flustered.”

“You think I’m pretty?” Harry repeats, not fully trusting her hearing, or knowing how to respond. And. Practice? It’s possible Harry’s going to kill Zayn for torturing her.

“Obviously,” Lou scoffs. “You do own a mirror, right?”

“Yeah. I just… _you’re_ so pretty. And like, nice. And I don’t know how to flirt with _you._ ” Harry takes a step closer. It’s electricity between them as Harry takes another step. 

Lou’s eyes dance between Harry’s lips and her eyes. She licks her lips, and takes a huge, audible breath. Then Lou takes one step forward and Harry’s close enough to lean down and… 

She ducks her head, slowly, keeping her eyes on Lou’s the whole time, making sure this is what they’ve been leading up to. She inches closer, Lou goes out of focus for a moment, and Harry still can’t bring herself to close the gap. They stand there, breathing hot puffs on each other’s mouths, and finally Harry puts a gentle hand on Lou’s hip. Then Lou tips forward and their lips finally connect. 

It’s everything Harry hoped it would be. Harry cups Lou’s cheek as she wraps her arm around Lou’s waist and tries to draw her closer. Lou’s pliant and soft under Harry’s hands, melting into the kiss. Harry dances them across the room until Lou’s back is against the wall, then Harry deepens the kiss. 

Lou moans so sweetly, Harry’s stomach swoops. 

They keep kissing, as Harry’s hands start to roam—up Lou’s back and into her hair and back down her ribs and Lou’s doing the same, pressing herself tight against Harry. Then Lou’s fingers are moving their way up from Harry’s waist, and her thumb swipes across the side of Harry’s breast and Harry has to take a moment, pulling out of the kiss and gulping in a breath. Lou looks up at her, mouth open and spit-slick, and Harry lets out a little incredulous laugh that makes Lou smile, then Harry dives back in, tongue first. 

It must embolden Lou, as the next time her thumb swipes, it’s with a little more pressure, and then her whole hand is there, holding Harry’s chest as her thumb moves in tiny circles. 

Harry throws her head back and Lou latches on to her neck, kissing across her collarbones and licking up to her ear while she’s squeezing perfectly at Harry’s chest and she keeps making these breathy sighs that are making Harry wet.

Harry can’t wait any longer, she needs to feel Lou too, and she moves her hands to Lou’s boobs. She takes a handful, fingers sinking into the softness, and caresses, memorizing the way Lou’s head falls forward, before she looks up, her blue eyes big and full of want. Harry thumbs across her nipple, delights in the way it hardens, and watches as Lou’s eyes fall shut. 

She can’t resist going in for another kiss, pressing her body back against Lou’s, trying to impress upon her by way of her tongue, her rolling hips, her insistent fingers how much she wants. 

And then they come up for breath again, panting into each other’s space. 

“I want—” Harry gulps. “I want so much.” She swipes her thumb one last time against Lou’s hard nipple, then drops her hand to Lou’s waist again. “But not here, yeah? Let me… Let me take you out, on a date.”

Lou nods, her own hands dropping to Harry’s waist, her thumbs still drawing circles that send shivers up her spine. 

“Yeah, that’s a good plan.” She lets out a little giggle. “I still can’t believe you’re into me. Zayn said—but I didn’t know.”

“God, I’m so into you. It’s like you’re all I’ve thought about for months.”

Lou surges up to kiss her again. “Can’t believe we could’ve been doing this for months. Got a lot of time to make up for.”

Harry links their hands together. “Ready to go back out and face them?”

“Do I get to keep holding your hand?”

Harry squeezes. “Don’t plan on letting go, now that I have you.”

Lou’s smile is sweet as she shakes her head gently. “I’ll be right here, next to you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not post this fic or any of my other fics on any other websites. I'm not currently allowing translations either. Thank you for respecting my wishes.
> 
> [Here's a shareable tumblr link if you liked it! xx](http://louandhazaf.tumblr.com/post/180357041323/larry-6k-teen-five-times-harry-watches)


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